The invention relates generally to air revitalization materials and in particular to potassium superoxide.
Potassium superoxide is widely used as an air revitalization material in closed-circuit rebreather devices. The compound operates by absorbing CO.sub.2 and by giving off oxygen as is shown by the following equation: EQU 2KO.sub.2 +CO.sub.2 .fwdarw. K.sub.2 CO.sub.3 +1 1/2 O.sub.2
although some water is required to force the reaction to the right, too much water causes an excessive oxygen evolution in relation to the carbon dioxide absorbed and severe fusion results. Also a high relative humidity RH or a high temperature produces the same result. Fusion retards and can even stop the reaction by sealing unreacted potassium superoxide with fused potassium superoxide. One solution to this fusion problem of potassium superoxide is through the addition of asbestos. The major disadvantages of asbestos are the potential injury to health, in that, asbestos dust is believed to cause cancer and the required applied pressure in the system due to the density of a pellet made from asbestos and potassium superoxide.